Self-contained boat launching assembly and methods

Abstract

A self-contained trailer mountable boat launching assembly makes it possible for one person to launch a boat from a launching ramp. A small air compressor and accumulator tank are mounted on the trailer frame in combination with a control valve and an operating cylinder. A remote switch routes pressure from the tank through the control valve to operate the cylinder which provides a launching force on the prow of the boat. In one embodiment, the end of the operating cylinder is mounted to a flexible member having an open hook in the end which passes up and through a laterally extending eye on the prow of a boat. A roller aft of the hook changes direction of the flexible member to pull the boat off the trailer and allows the hook to automatically release from the eye as the boat moves in response to the operating cylinder rod moving opposite the launching direction. Linear movement of the hook is magnified by a mechanical advantage. In a second embodiment, the components which supply motive power to a cylinder are the same as in the first embodiment, but the cylinder operates directly against the prow of the boat. The end of the cylinder has a cushioning element which doubles as a stop. The prow of the boat is held in trailering position against the cushioning element when the cylinder is retracted. Lateral control of the boat can be maintained until launch is triggered by actuation of the cylinder.

I claim: 
     
       1. A self-contained trailer mountable marine boat launching assembly to be carried by a trailer for hauling a boat to a launch site behind a pulling vehicle, the launching assembly being operable to apply a launching force to the prow of a boat after said trailer has been backed into launching position, the launching assembly in combination comprising: a support structure mountable near the front of a trailer adapted to haul a boat in a trailering position on the trailer and permit launching of a boat off the trailer;   a drive means having an extendable operating rod mounted on the support structure for applying a launching force over a distance to the prow of a boat, wherein the drive means has a member having an end releasably connectable to the prow of a boat, adapted to be driven in a launching direction by the operating rod a magnified distance which exceeds the corresponding distance over which the operating rod moves in driving said member so that the launching force can be applied over a launching distance greater than the operating distance of the operating rod;   a power supply means connected to said drive means for supplying motive power to said drive means; and   a control means mountable on said trailer, operatively interconnected with said drive means and power supply means, for selectively operating said drive means by applying said motive power to said drive means to apply a launching force over a distance in a launching direction to the prow of a boat in response to a control switch which operates the control means.   
     
     
       2. The self-contained trailer mountable launching assembly of claim 1 further including a boat trailer on which said assembly is mounted. 
     
     
       3. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 1 wherein the combination includes a control switch operatively connected to said control means whereby said launching force can be applied by said drive means to the prow of a boat by operation of said control switch. 
     
     
       4. A self-contained trailer mountable marine boat launching assembly to be carried by a trailer for hauling a boat to a launch site behind a pulling vehicle, the launching assembly being operable to apply a launching force to the prow of a boat after said trailer has been backed into a launching position, the launching assembly in combination comprising: a support structure mountable near the front of a trailer adapted to haul a boat in a trailering position;   a drive means mounted on the support structure for applying a launching force over a distance to the prow of a boat wherein the drive means has an extendable operating rod which moves an operating distance in a direction opposite of the launching direction to apply the launching force to the prow of a boat;   a power supply means connected to said drive means for supplying motive power to said drive means; and   control means mountable on said trailer, operatively interconnected with said drive means and power supply means, for selectively operating said drive means by applying said motive power to said drive means to apply a launching force over a distance in a launching direction to the prow of a boat in response to a control switch which operates the control means.   
     
     
       5. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 4 wherein the drive means includes a flexible member and the operating rod has an operating end adapted to apply the launching force to the flexible member which transfers the launching force applied by the drive means to the flexible member which is attachable releasably to the prow of a boat. 
     
     
       6. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 5 wherein the launching force is applied over a distance to a boat by the flexible member, said distance being greater than the operating distance of the operating rod whereby the movement of the operating rod is a fraction of the movement of the flexible member during launching. 
     
     
       7. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 6 wherein the fraction is one half. 
     
     
       8. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 5 wherein the flexible member has a hook member on its end which is engageable with an eye member on the prow of a boat, the hook member being automatically disengageable from said eye member upon movement of a boat in the launching direction after application of the launching force to the boat by the flexible member. 
     
     
       9. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 8 wherein the drive means includes a tensioning device connected to the flexible member which supplies a tensioning force sufficient to prevent slack from developing in the flexible member before the launching force is applied so that the hook member remains engaged with the eye member. 
     
     
       10. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 9 where the tensioning device is a spring loaded reel around which a portion of the flexible member is wound. 
     
     
       11. A self-contained trailer mountable marine boat launching assembly to be carried by a trailer for hauling a boat to a launch site behind a pulling vehicle, the launching assembly being operable to apply a launching force to the prow of a boat after said trailer has been backed into launching position, the launching assembly in combination comprising: a support structure mountable near the front of a trailer adapted to haul a boat in a trailering position on the trailer and permit launching of a boat off the trailer;   a drive means mounted on the support structure for applying a launching force over a distance to the prow of a boat;   wherein the drive means includes an operating cylinder having an extendable operating rod which provides said launching force upon extension of the rod;   a power supply means connected to said drive means for supplying motive power to said drive means; and   a control means mountable on said trailer, operatively interconnected with said drive means and power supply means, for selectively operating said drive means by applying said motive power to said drive means to apply said launching force over a distance in a launching direction to the prow of a boat in response to a control switch which operates the control means.   
     
     
       12. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 11 wherein the power supply means includes a pressure vessel having sufficient capacity to supply operating fluid to said operating cylinder over at least one extension cycle. 
     
     
       13. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 12 wherein said control means interconnects said pressure vessel with said operating cylinder. 
     
     
       14. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 13 further including a flow restrictor which tends to control the flow of pressurized fluid between the pressure vessel and the operating cylinder while the launching force is being applied. 
     
     
       15. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 13 wherein the power supply means includes an air compressor for filling the pressure vessel to a preselected operating pressure to provide said motive power to the drive means sufficient to apply the launching force to a boat. 
     
     
       16. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 15 wherein said air compressor is an electrically operated compressor electrically connected to a wiring harness of said trailer and automatically powered up in response to the wiring harness of said trailer being plugged into a corresponding plug on a vehicle, which is electrically activated in response to said vehicle being started. 
     
     
       17. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 16 further including a control switch remotely locatable with respect to a trailer on which said assembly is mountable so that it can operate the drive means through the control means from a distance without the necessity of an operator entering the water at a launching site. 
     
     
       18. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 13 wherein the operating cylinder is a double acting cylinder and said control means is adapted to selectively extend said operating rod to apply the launching force and retract said operating rod after the launching force has been applied in response to operation of said control switch. 
     
     
       19. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 18 wherein the control means is an electrically operated five-port four-way valve which operates to extend and retract the operating rod of the operating cylinder in response to operation of said control switch. 
     
     
       20. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 19 further including said control switch, said switch being adapted for mounting within a vehicle that pulls said trailer and operatively connected to the electrical power system of a vehicle. 
     
     
       21. In the combination of a trailer and boat launching assembly for carrying to a launch site a boat in a trailering position wherein the trailer is adapted to support a boat until the trailer is partially submerged and the boat at least partially floated off the trailer during launching and can be floated onto the trailer to the trailering position again after launching, comprising; a launching assembly mountable at the front of a trailer for selectively applying a launching force to the prow of a boat still in the trailering position after the boat is floated off the back of the trailer in response to backing the trailer into the water, including:   a retractable actuator having an end provided with means for contacting the prow of a boat on the trailer in the trailering position said means for contacting the retracted actuator serving as a stop to define the trailering position in contact with the prow of a boat when the actuator is retracted;   an actuating cylinder for driving the retractable actuator to an extended position in a launching direction away from the cylinder, thereby applying a launching force with the means for contacting the prow of a boat over a distance during extension of the retractable actuator;   a power supply means for applying motive power to the actuating cylinder to drive the actuator in response to operation of a control unit; and   a control unit interconnecting the power means and actuating cylinder which selectively applies power from the power supply means to actuating cylinder to generate launching force on the actuator in response to selective operation of an operating switch of the control unit;   whereby a boat partly floated up off the trailer but still in the trailering position can be accelerated away from the trailer in a launching direction by a launching force applied to the prow by said end of the retractable actuator.   
     
     
       22. The combination of claim 21 further including a boat trailer having said launching assembly mounted thereon wherein said launching force is applied for about 1.5-3.5 seconds to provide a launching velocity of about six miles per hour to a boat being launched. 
     
     
       23. The combination of claim 21 wherein the actuating cylinder is operated by pressurized fluid being selectively applied by the power supply means through the control unit. 
     
     
       24. The combination of claim 23 wherein the power supply means includes a pressure producing means mounted on the trailer to provide said motive power by providing pressurized fluid to the actuating cylinder. 
     
     
       25. The combination of claim 24 wherein the power supply means includes a vessel of sufficient capacity to store the fluid needed to operate the actuating cylinder to drive the actuator to its extended position. 
     
     
       26. The combination of claim 25 wherein said vessel is a pressure vessel for compressed air. 
     
     
       27. The combination of claim 26 wherein a flow restrictor tends to control the flow of pressurized fluid between the pressure vessel and the actuating cylinder while the launching force is being applied. 
     
     
       28. The combination of claim 26 wherein the power supply means includes an air compressor for filling the pressure vessel to a preselected operating pressure to provide said motive power sufficient to apply the launching force to a boat. 
     
     
       29. The combination of claim 28 wherein said control unit or said actuating cylinder contains a flow restrictor which tends to control the flow of pressurized fluid between the pressure vessel and the actuating cylinder while the launching force is being applied. 
     
     
       30. The combination of claim 28 wherein said air compressor is an electrically operated compressor electrically connected to a wiring harness of said trailer and automatically powered up in response to the wiring harness of said trailer being plugged into a corresponding plug on a vehicle, which is electrically activated in response to said vehicle being started. 
     
     
       31. The combination of claim 30 further including a control switch remotely locatable with respect to a trailer on which said assembly is mounted so that it can operate the actuating cylinder through the control unit from a distance without the necessity of an operator entering the water at a launching site. 
     
     
       32. The combination of claim 31 wherein said control switch is adapted for mounting within a vehicle that pulls said trailer and operatively connected to said vehicle electrical power system. 
     
     
       33. A boat launching assembly for a boat trailer adapted for carrying a boat in a normal trailering orientation between launch sites, the boat launching assembly comprising: an actuator mountable at the front of a boat trailer, having an actuator rod movable in response to a power unit between an extended operating position, being retractable with respect to the actuator to a retracted traveling position, the end of the actuator rod being adapted to provide a launching force in a launching direction to a flexible member in contact with the end of the actuator rod when a boat is positioned on a trailer in a normal trailering orientation at a launch site;   a power unit connected through a control unit to the actuator to supply motive power to the actuator;   a flexible member driven by the actuator rod whereby the launching force is applied to the boat by the flexible member; and   a control unit operatively interconnecting the power unit and the actuator having a first operating position which supplies motive power from the power unit to the actuator to move the actuating rod to the extended operating position and a second operating position which allows the actuating rod to retract to the traveling position.   
     
     
       34. The boat launching assembly of claim 33 wherein the combination includes the trailer on which said launching assembly is operatively mounted. 
     
     
       35. The boat launching assembly of claim 33 wherein the assembly includes said flexible member driven by the actuator rod having a hook member receivable by an eye member on the prow whereby the launching force is applied to the boat. 
     
     
       36. The boat launching assembly of claim 35 wherein the hook member is automatically released from an eye member on the boat after the launching force has been applied. 
     
     
       37. The boat launching assembly of claim 36 wherein the movement of the boat in the launching direction after application of the launching force causes the hook member to release from the boat. 
     
     
       38. The boat launching assembly of claim 37 wherein the flexible member is adapted to the actuator rod with a roller means that allows the flexible member and hook to move a multiple of the distance that the actuator rod moves from the retracted to the extended position. 
     
     
       39. The boat launching assembly of claim 38 wherein the operating rod moves to the extended position to apply the launching force on the flexible member, in a direction opposite of the launching direction. 
     
     
       40. The boat launching assembly of claim 39 wherein the flexible member includes a tensioning device which locks one end of the flexible member when sudden force is applied to the flexible member by the actuating rod. 
     
     
       41. The boat launching assembly of claim 33 wherein a switch selectively sets the control unit to the first operating or the second operating position whereby a launching force can be provided to a boat by the actuator rod moving from its traveling position to its extended position at a launch site in response to said switch, to launch the boat away from the trailer. 
     
     
       42. A method of self-launching a boat at a launching ramp from a carrying and launching trailer pulled by a vehicle, comprising the steps of: providing a boat launching assembly mounted on the trailer, the boat launching assembly having an actuating cylinder with an actuating rod movable from a retracted to an extended operating position and adapted to apply a launching force to the prow of a boat;   backing the trailer into the water at a launching ramp to float the stern off the trailer; and   launching the boat by causing the cylinder rod to extend to apply a launching force in a launching direction to the boat, sufficient to free the boat from the trailer by accelerating the boat in the launching direction, wherein said actuating cylinder is connected to a tank having a supply of fluid under pressure and the step of causing the cylinder rod to extend is accompanied by the step of releasing fluid from the tank into the cylinder.   
     
     
       43. The method of claim 42 wherein the launching assembly includes said actuating cylinder being operated by pressurized air and said tank having a supply of air under pressure connected to the cylinder and said step of causing the cylinder rod to extend is accompanied by the step of releasing air from said tank into said cylinder. 
     
     
       44. The method of claim 43 wherein the launching assembly provided includes a control valve connecting the tank with the cylinder and the step of releasing the air under pressure from the tank into the cylinder includes the step of operating the control valve from a distance. 
     
     
       45. The method of claim 44 wherein the control valve provided is electrically operated and connected through a wiring harness to a switch on a vehicle towing the trailer and the step of operating the control valve includes the step of throwing the switch. 
     
     
       46. The method of claim 45 wherein the step of backing the trailer into the water at the launch site until the stern is floated includes the step of leaving a forward part of the boat partially supported by a forward part of the trailer to prevent lateral movement of the boat in preparation for the launching step. 
     
     
       47. The method of claim 45 wherein the cylinder is provided with an actuating rod having a cushioning means on the end which extends, the step of causing the cylinder rod to extend includes the step of pressing the cushioning means against the prow of the boat to apply the launching force while the cylinder rod is extending. 
     
     
       48. The method of claim 45 wherein the cylinder actuating rod is provided on the end which extends with an end adapted to apply launching force to a flexible member having a hook member releasably connectable to the prow of the boat, wherein the step of causing the cylinder rod to extend includes the step of applying the launching force with the hook of the flexible member while the cylinder rod is extending. 
     
     
       49. The method of claim 48 wherein the step of applying the launching force to the prow of the boat is followed by automatically releasing the hook member after the launching force has been fully applied. 
     
     
       50. The method of claim 49 wherein the step of applying the launching force to the flexible member includes the step of causing the flexible member to move a distance which is greater than the distance the operating rod is extended, to apply the force over a longer distance. 
     
     
       51. The method of claim 49 where the step of applying the launching force to the flexible member includes the step of causing the flexible member to move a distance which is twice the distance the operating rod is extended during application of the launching force to the boat. 
     
     
       52. The method of claim 51 wherein the step of causing the cylinder rod to extend includes the step of causing the cylinder rod to extend in a direction which is opposite of the launching direction. 
     
     
       53. A self-contained trailer mountable boat launching assembly for a trailer which carries to a launch site a boat in a trailering position wherein the trailer is adapted to support a boat until the trailer is partially submerged and the boat at least partially floated off the trailer during launching and can be floated onto the trailer and returned to the trailering position again after launching; a launching assembly mountable at the front of a trailer for selectively applying a launching force to the prow of a boat still in the trailering position after the boat is floated off the back of the trailer in response to backing the trailer into the water, the launching assembly including:   an extendable actuator rod having an end provided with means for applying a launching force to the prow of a boat carried on the trailer in the trailering position;   a pressure operated actuating cylinder for driving the actuator rod to an extended position in a launching direction, thereby applying a launching force with the means for applying a launching force to the prow of a boat over a distance during extension of the actuator rod;   a pressure supply for applying motive power to the actuating cylinder to drive the actuator rod in response to operation of a control unit; and   a control unit interconnecting the pressure supply and actuating cylinder which selectively applies pressure from the pressure supply means to the actuating cylinder to generate launching force on the actuator rod in response to selective operation of the control unit;   whereby a boat partly floated up off the trailer but still in the trailering position can be quickly accelerated away from the trailer in a launching direction by a launching force applied to said prow through the end of the actuator rod.   
     
     
       54. The combination of claim 53 wherein said actuating cylinder is sized to produce a launching velocity of about six miles per hour to said boat. 
     
     
       55. The combination of claim 53 further including a boat trailer having said launching assembly mounted thereon. 
     
     
       56. The self-contained boat launching assembly of claim 53 wherein said extendable operating rod moves an operating distance in a direction opposite of the launching direction to apply said launching force to the prow of a boat.